Always with the Wrong Album
The big The Jesus and Mary Chain album for me was the third one, which by all accounts is the wrong one, and this isn’t me patting myself on the back for some kind of weird internet-style reverse compliment. Time has shown it’s maybe the second or third best one, but it’s the one I originally fell in love with and still the one I like best.
A lot of times with music, you just don’t really—you know—the one you love is not the “correct” choice, and whatever.
The point being, I went through a phase where I really loved this band. Then I put them down for a while, but I’ve really been enjoying this kind of very late ’80s, early journey back into indie rock, when I will firmly argue any day that this was a real golden period for this kind of music.
And one thing—not what’s interesting, but what is true—through these records that they made, at least the first three (I’m going to go listen to the rest), is that the songs were there. At the end of the day, if the songs are there, then whatever you’re doing works. More than that, their ability to keep it real simple—like stupid simple—is a big lesson for anyone.
And I don’t care how many times you hear it. You always need reminding, because musicians’ ability to overcomplicate—when it comes to making a song, writing a song, recording a song, or buying gear—it’s infinite.
A call went out to do a song game on a YouTube channel I follow, OP-1 only based, and cue the questions, right—just a procession of people falling over their feet before they even turn the thing on. It’s endless.
And I just feel like I’m in a good spot—keeping the melody simple, keeping the song structure simple—and this Jesus and Mary Chain renaissance in my own mind has really come at the right time.
As I’ve said before, there’s really not that many songs, just as there’s not that many stories. But you can write the same songs over and over again, and even if they get a little bit better, it’s that last little bit—that’s the part that really matters.